INMARSAT 5-F1 is one of the $1.6 billion next-generation Inmarsat fleet satellites aimed to boost connectivity speeds for users on-the-move in airplanes, on boats and on land. With 89 fixed and steerable Ka-band beams, the Global Xpress satellites represent new territory for Inmarsat, which used a different radio band on earlier satellites. Switching from L-band to Ka-band improves downlink communications speeds to 50 megabits per second, with up to 5 megabits per second on the uplink side. And users can link up with the Global Xpress satellites with smaller terminals. INMARSAT 5-F1 will take up operations at 63 degrees east longitude covering the Indian Ocean region.